Incredible

Today my boss called me over and said she needed to speak with me. My stomach was in knots. I have been so nervous about how I've been doing since I started here. I began racking my brain for something I had done wrong. Are parents complaining that their kids aren't learning anything? Am I teaching the wrong things? Is it my clothes? My lesson plans? My teaching style?

"It's time for your first teacher evaluation", said Lisa, my boss.

Great...I braced myself. "Don't worry," I thought, "Worst case scenario, they think you are a horrible teacher due to the fact that you have never taught before and your kids are learning nothing. So they will probably fire you."

Then Lisa said, "I wanted to tell you that we are very pleased with your teaching."

I stared. Wait...this sounded...positive!

She went on, "We are very pleased with your teaching and your classroom style. We feel that the students in your classes respect you and that you have good control of your classrooms and your students are learning a lot."

I waited. Maybe there was a "but..." coming.

Then she said, "Also, I have received calls from your students' parents, complimenting your teaching. The parents say they really like you and are glad you are teaching their children. They say you are very strict with the students and you discipline them well. They say you have good classroom control and that their kids are learning a lot."

I stood gaping. Me? Strict? The 21-year-old sociology major who has ZERO experience teaching and has never taken an education course in her life? Who knows no Korean and feels like she spends all her time in the classroom balancing things precariously on the brink of total mayhem?

ME??????

ME!!!!!!!!!

Korea likes me!

I'm NOT a horrible teacher!

By the way, Friday night the entire teaching staff and administration are going to out for dinner together. They do this whenever a new teacher is hired to welcome them to the school. So this dinner is in honor of me! So we all go out and the director pays for everyone. I am very excited especially now that I know they don't all hate me and think I'm the worst teacher ever :)

The amazing thing about this all is that one year ago I could never have imagined where I would be today. One year ago my life felt like it was falling apart. My fiance of 10 months had just left me and I was in more pain than I ever thought my heart could feel. I never would have imagined that in one year's time I would have the incredible opportunity to live and work in this beautiful country! I am so glad that God is in control and not me because this is INDESCRIBABLY BETTER than anything I could (or would) have imagined for myself.